This invention relates to a three-speed winch, particularly, but not exclusively, of the kind having a drum around which a sheet, for example on sailboats, can be wound, and of the kind wherein the drum is rotated by means of a crank that drives the drum through suitable speed reducers.
The known winches of this kind show different disadvantages.
A first disadvantage has to be recognized in their encumbrance, due to the nature and location of the employed speed reducers, that required a very high and large base-casing.
Another disadvantage is found in that the first speed of the winch was obtained by means of direct drive with the hand-crank, so as the winch required at the sailor or cruisor an effort greater than his possibilities and for this reason said first speed was generally avoided in the rigging. Said first speed however was forcedly avoided, when on the winch is coupled a self-tailing pulley.
A further disadvantage was that the fastening of the winch required the disassembly of the same, with remarkable waste of time.
A further disadvantage was that the self-tailing pulley, equipping the winch, was provided with a rigid V-shaped peripheral groove, so as only a limited range of sheet-sizes may be handled, and for sizes out of said range the self-tailing pulley must be substituted.